The Bucs welcomed back a few starters from injury following the bye week in wide receiver Mike Evans and cornerback Jamel Dean, and both contributed in the team’s 30-7 win over the Giants at MetLife Stadium. But as has been the story this year, the injury bug keeps biting Tampa Bay.

Just when the Bucs got a few players back against the Giants, Tampa Bay’s defense lost a couple of starters in the game.

Outside linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter and did not return to the game. The Bucs only had three other outside linebackers active and rolled with Anthony Nelson, Yaya Diaby and rookie Chris Braswell. Head coach and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles also used defensive tackle Calijah Kancey as an edge rusher on occasion to help out the position.

Tryon-Shoyinka’s status for next week’s game at Carolina has yet to be determined, but it could be more dire for another starting Bucs defender.

Strong safety Jordan Whitehead suffered a left pectoral injury while trying to tackle Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito on a scramble down by the goal line. Whitehead’s tackle attempt was high and he stuck his arm out and eventually got DeVito down, but may have been seriously injured in the process.

If it’s a torn pectoral, Whitehead could be done for the year. If it’s just a strain, then he might miss a few games.

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles was asked after the game if he knew the severity of Whitehead’s injury.

“Not at this time, I don’t know,” Bowles said.

Whitehead will have tests done on Monday upon returning to Tampa Bay.

Bucs Thankful To Have Mike Edwards Back With The Jordan Whitehead Injury

Bucs SS Jordan Whitehead and Giants QB Tommy DeVito – Photo by: USA Today

Even if safety Jordan Whitehead’s pectoral injury isn’t severe enough to miss the rest of the season, he still could miss some time due to injury. The Bucs are thankful to have Mike Edwards back in the fold.

Edwards, who played his first four seasons in Tampa Bay as a third-round pick in 2019, was claimed off the waiver wire from Tennessee last week. Due to his familiarity with Todd Bowles’ scheme, he was able to step in right away and play.

Bowles deployed some dime defense on third-and-long and obvious passing downs, taking inside linebacker K.J. Britt off the field and pairing Edwards with fellow safeties Whitehead and Antoine Winfield Jr. in three-safety look.

“I think it all starts with Mike Edwards,” Bowles said after Sunday’s win over the Giants. “You know Mike allows us to do certain things. He allows Antoine to be Antoine and Jordan to be Jordan. He allowed the ‘backers to free up some things for us, and it gets the D-line to tee off when you know you’ve got a safety valve back there that can see a lot of things. So it really helped us. And I know it doesn’t look like it helped us because he was in the back, but he really helped us up front and let those guys go.”

Bucs S Mike Edwards – Photo by: Jeffrey Jones/PR

Tampa Bay’s defense had four sacks of quarterback Tommy DeVito and played well in coverage. Whitehead had five tackles on Sunday while Edwards only had one, but he did have a pass breakup and helped the Bucs defense function at a high level in New York.

“Just calmness – he understands the game very well,” Bowles said. “He can read routes. He calms the guys down out there. He communicates very well and I thought he did a good job.”

Edwards may wind up starting at strong safety for Whitehead next Sunday in Carolina, and if rookie nickelback returns from his knee injury to play against the Panthers Bowles could still use a dime defensive package. Christian Izien, who had 10 tackles starting in place of Smith in the slot on Sunday, could be the dime safety deployed to play alongside Winfield and Edwards.